When, in the Course of Human Events

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one to dissolve the political bonds which have connected him with his government, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature entitle him, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that he should declare the causes which impel him to the separation.

I hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is oneâ€™s right to alter or to abolish oneâ€™s allegiance, in the hopes of instituting a new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is the right of the individual, it is his duty, to oppose such government, and to do whatâ€™s necessary to provide new guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of citizens of these United states; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of most recent past and present presidents and legislators of the United States of America is a history of repeated civil rights violations, constitutional travesties, usurpations of stateâ€™s rights, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute political control over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

The unconstitutional regulation by at least one federal agency, office, commission, bureau, or department of all goods and services traded domestically and internationally.

Establishment, in direct violation of the constitution, of a privately governed central bank whose sole purpose is to manipulate the monetary markets and which is not subject to public scrutiny and whose actions undermine the value of the American dollar to the detriment of the welfare of these United states.

Unconstitutional invasion, overthrow and occupation of sovereign foreign countries which pose no threat to the security of these United states based on political ideology to the detriment of the foreign nation and the welfare of the citizens of these United states.

Unconstitutional presence in allied foreign countries which pose no threat to the security of these United states and which levies unconscionable debt on the current and future citizens of these United states.

The implementation of an electoral system intended to marginalize third parties thereby limiting the choices presented to the electorate and giving an unfair advantage to the incumbents and leading to one party and/or one family or members of previous administrations also holding high-ranking offices in successive administrations, effectively creating an unconstitutional monarchy.

Unconstitutional manipulation of the tax laws to serve political agendas to the detriment of the welfare of these United states.

Unconstitutional alliances with special interests and big businesses to the detriment of the welfare of these United states.

Severe unconstitutional civil rights violations to include:

Restrictions on the freedom of speech.

Restrictions on our rights to bear arms.

Restrictions of use of private property.

Unconstitutional wire tapping on the citizens of these United states.

Torture.

Suspension of habeas corpus.

Furthermore, the consistently irresponsible behavior on the part of the elected congress in passing, without fully reading or understanding, legislation which violates the civil rights of these United states and levies unconscionable debt on the current and future citizens of these United states.

The impractical and logistically impossible size of the federal government makes it, by definition, an inefficient leviathan to the detriment of the welfare of these United states.

In every stage of these digressions citizens of these United states have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A president or legislator, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

I, therefore, a citizen of the United states of America, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of my intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority given to me by nature and the constitution of these United states, solemnly publish and declare, that I am, and of right ought to be free and independent from the federal government; that I am absolved from all allegiance to the federal government, and that all political connection between myself and the federal government, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as a free and independent citizen of these United states, I have full power to bear arms and defend myself against the federal government, conclude peace with the federal government, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent citizens may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the human spirit and the American spirit, I pledge to these United states my life, my fortune and my sacred honor.

Don Cooper [send him mail] is an economist living and working in Atlanta, Georgia.